Sanjusangen-do Temple

The name of this temple translates to "Hall with 33 spaces between the columns," and with a length of nearly 400 feet, it's the longest wooden building in the world.

Inside Sanjusangen-do Temple, at the center of an airplane-hangar-sized hall dating from 1266 sits one giant statue of the Kannon (Buddhist deity of mercy, called Guanyin in Chinese) flanked by 1,000 human-size Kannons. At first glance, the smaller statues, with their faded gilt, may look identical, but if you look closely you'll notice that each is subtly different, their 40 arms brandishing varying symbols of healing, longevity and more.